Rolling mill



J. D. KISS ROLLING MILL July 21, 1953 Filed July 5, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Ittoineg s July" 21, 1953 J. D. was 2 646,103

ROLLING MILL Filed July 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 8 3n'ventor lzo July 21, 1953 J. D. KISS ROLLING MILL Filed July 5. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 kzseyp/ms flmufww attorneys Patented July 21, 1953 UNITED STAT 2 Claims.

7 i This invention relates to metal-working machinery and in particular to rolling mills for forming elongated metal articles by rolling operations upon sheet metal stock.

, One object of this invention is to provide a universal rolling mill composed of a series of metal rolling units which perform rolling operations in sequence upon sheet metal stock so as to form it into elongated members of the desired cross-sectionalshape, each rolling machine having its rolls adjustable relatively to one another without interfering with their driving connections, thereby enabling worn rolls to be utilized by merely moving them closer together.

Another object is to provide a universal rolling mill composed of rolling units of the foregoing character wherein one of the roll shafts is mounted upon slides and is driven by'a worm gear which meshes with an elongated worm so as to permit moving theshaft toward or away from the other shaft, thereby adjusting the separation of the rolls, the drive to the adjustable roll shaft being maintained during adjustment merely by causing the worm gear to roll along the elongated worm while remaining in mesh therewith.

Another object is to provide a universal rolling mill composed of rolling units having two pairs of roll shafts, one pair having its axes of rotation nearer together than the other pair, U

either pair being removable so that at any given time, according to the nature of the workpieces being rolled, a pair of large diameter or small diameter rolls may be employed, thereby adapting the machine to a wide range and variety of workpieces.

Another object is to provide a universal rolling mill, as set forth in the object immediately preceding, the rolls being mounted upon arbors with tapered or conical ends fitting into sockets 'of corresponding shape, thereby permitting the quick removal and replacement of rolls, and also enabling interchangeable arbors to be employed, accordinglto the nature of the workpiece to be produced, these arbors being of various diameters as desired, but fitting into permanently installed roll shafts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan viewof a rolling unit for a universal rolling mill, according to a preferred form of the invention, with a large diame ter pair of rolls in use and a small diameter pair removed; 1 p

Figure 2' is a vertical longitudinalsection taken along the line 2--2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken alon "fering sizes of workpieces.

. Z the line 3-3 il'l'FigllIe 1, and showing the outboard bearing support; and.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 1, showing the mechanism for adjusting the roll separation while maintaining an uninterrupteddriving connection.

Rolling mills of prior design hitherto have customarily employed rolls mounted on roll shafts which are of substantially fixed separations. The rolls are ground to accurate diameters so that they will precisely form the sheet metal stock into the desired shape. When the rolls become worn through long use, they cannot be reground and hence are ordinarily discarded andrreplaced by new rolls of the proper diameters, because the ordinary driving mechanism for the roll shafts is incapable of permitting the shafts to be moved closer together to compensate for the wear, much less to permit rolls of smaller diameter to be used upon the same roll shafts.

The present invention provides a rolling unit for a universal rolling machine, wherein one of the roll shafts is journaled in'bearings which are mounted on slides soas to be adjustable toward or away from the otherlroll shaft, a driving connection being maintained, regardless of the varying separation of the rolls, by a worm gear or worm wheel on the roll shaft meshing with an elongated worm on the drive shaft. In

this manner, the adjustable roll shaft may be 7 moved toward or away from the other roll shaft in order to compensate for the wear of the rolls or to enable different sizes of rolls to be interchangeably mounted in the rolling unit. Each rolling unitis preferably also supplied with two pairs of roll shafts, mounted at different separations of their axes of rotations, each shaft having conical sockets adapted to receive the conical ends of arbors on which the rolls are removably' and interchangeably mounted. -Only; one pair of roll shafts of each rollingunit is used at a given time. The provision of a pair of roll shafts of diiierent separations enables a wide range of roll diameters to be employed, depending upon the work to be produced, thus giving the machine a wide adaptability to greatly dif- It. is to .be understood, of course, that a complete machine consists ofseveralsuch rolling units arranged in sequence, each having. slightly different rolls so that eachunit performs part ,of the work of bending the sheet metaljstock into the desired form by a sequenceofoperations performed in theone machine or rolling mill.

Reierringto the drawings in detaiL'Figure 1 shows one unit generally designated Ill of a rolling machine I I, wherein a series of rolling units H! are mounted in sequence along a bed or base [2 and driven from a common power source (not shown). For the purposes of the invention, it will be sufficient to describe only one of the units I since all units in the series are of substantially the same construction.

The rolling unit It includes a housing l3 and an outboard rest l4 mounted in spaced relationship to the housing [3 with the lower and upper rolls [5 and [6 supported in the space between the housing [3 and .rest 14. The housing [3 is of box-like form having a bottom ll (Figure 4) which is grooved as at H! to receive a locating rib l9 bolted into a transverse groove in the bed [2. The rest It similarly is provided with a bottom 2| (Figure 3) which is grooved as at 22 to 7 receive a locating rib Z3 bolted thereto and likewise mounted in the groove 20. In this manner, the housing l3 and outboard rest M are accurately maintained in alignment with one another. The bottom 21 of the outboard rest I4 is provided with transverse slots 25 for receiving clamping bolts 25 threaded into holes 21 in the bed i2, thereby enabling the outboard rest 14 to he slid to and fro transversel of the bed 12 and bolted in its adjusted position.

The bottom I l and top 28 of the housing l3 (Figure 4) are provided with co-axial apertures 29 and 30 into which are bolted lower and upper bearing bushings 3| and 32 respectively. Journaled in the bores 33 and 34 of the bearing bushings 3| and 32 is a worm shaft 35 carrying lower and upper worms 3E- and 31 respectively, the upper worm 31 being more elongated than the lower worm 35. The worm shaft 35 is driven by bevel gearing (not shown) at its lower end from a line shaft (also not shown) connected to a common source of power, such as an electric motor.

Meshing with the lower and upper worms 35 and 3! are lower and upper worm gears or wheels 38 and 39 respectively keyed to lower and upper large rolls shafts M) and 4| (Figure 4). The lower large roll shaft 40 is journaled in aligned bearing bores 42 and 43 formed in the end plate 4&- and the forward wall 45 of the housing l3 (Figure 2). Keyed to the lower large roll shaft 45 is-a gear 46 (Figure 2) which meshes with an idler gear All mounted upon a stud 43 (Figures 1 and 4) threaded into the forward wall 45.- The idler gear 4'! in turn meshes with a pinion 49 keyed to the lower small roll shaft 50 which is journaled in the forward wall 45 of the housing I3.

The opposite side walls 5| and 52 0f the housing is are grooved vertically as at 53 and 54 (Figure 1) to receive, vertical guide ribs 55 and 56 respectively bolted therein. Suitably grooved as at 51 and 58 to receive the guide ribs 55 and 55 is a vertically movable carriage or slide 59. The slide 59 is provided with a plurality of threaded sockets 60 adapted to receive the threaded lower ends iii of plugs 52 having internally threaded bores 53 threadedly receiving the lower ends of adjusting screw shafts 64 journaled at their upper ends in upwardly extending bosses 65. One of the screw shafts 64 at its upper end carries a graduated collar 55 which registers with a pointer 6'! secured to the adjacent boss 65 in order to indicate the amount of motion imparted to the screw shaft 64 when its squared head 68 is rotated, as by a wrench.

The upper large roll shaft 41 is journaled in a bore 69 in the slide or carriage 5.9 and has keyed thereto a gear 10 mounted adjacent the worm wheel 39. The gear T0 meshes with a pinion H rotatably mounted upon a stud '12 similar to the stud Q8 and similarly threaded into the slide or carriage 59. The idler gear 'H meshes with a pinion 13 (Figure 4.) keyed to the upper small roll shaft 74. The latter is journaled in a bore 15 in the slide or carriage 59. The large roll shafts ill and 4| terminate at their forward ends in collar-like enlargements 15 with radial driving tongues or ribs 5? thereon, whereas the small roll shafts 50 and M similarly terminate in enlargements '58 with radial driving tongues or ribs 19.

The forward ends of each of the shafts d0, Al, 50 and M are provided with conical sockets 8E3 terminating in straight or cylindrical portions 81 centrally bored and threaded as at 82 to receive the threaded end 83 of a clamping bolt 84 (Figure 2). The bore 82 in turn opens into an enlarged bore 82a. The conical sockets 85 serve to receive the correspondingly tapered rearward ends 85 and cylindrical portions 85 of arbors 8'! which are of similar construction except that the arbors for the small rolls (not shown) are of course of smaller diameter to conform to the closer mounting of the smaller roll shafts 50 and M to one another.

The arbors 8? are bored longitudinally as at 88 for the passage of the clamping bolt 84 and are also provided with annular abutments 89 for the lower or upper large rolls 90 or 9| respectively (Figure 2) The arbors 8'! are provided with keyways 92 (Figure 3) for the reception of keys 93 by which the rolls 96 and 9! are drivingly and removably mounted on the arbors 81. The outer ends of the arbors 81 are provided with conical or tapered ends 94 terminating in cylindrical portions 25. Each of the large rolls 95, 9! and also the small rolls (not shown) is bored to slide upon the central portion of the arbor 8?. The rolls 90 and 5! are of any desired configuration, depending upon the workpiece to be produced and the stage which that particular pair of rolls occupies in the sequence of units [0. For purposes of illustration, but without limitation, the rolls 5!! and 9 I are shown as provided with a co-acting groove 90a and rib 91a, both of annular form and arranged at the same distances from the ends of the rolls 9B and 9| so that they mate with one another to provide an even spacing for the sheet metal of the workpiece W (Figure 2) acted upon by the cooperating rolls 9i! and 9 l.

The rolls 90 and 9! are accurately ground to the same lengths, within very close tolerances, so that all of the grooves 90a and ribs am of the various rolls in the various rolling units It! will be in line. with one another along the rolling mill I I. The rolls 9B and 5| are held in place against the abutment 89 (Figure 2) by spacing collars 95 which in turn are engaged by annular shoulders 5? on lower and upper bearing bushings or sleeves58 and 59 respectively. Each lower large roll sleeve 98 is journaled in a bore I05 in the lower portion of the outboard rest [4, whereas the upper large roll sleeve 99 is journaled in a bore I!!! in a slide or carriage I02 slidably mounted along the vertical guide portions I03 (Figure 3) of the outboard support 14. The latter is provided with a top member H14 in the form. of a bridge having an upwardly-extending portion H15 in which are journaled screw shafts [06, the lower ends of which are threaded .into threaded bores I01 in plugs H18 similar to the plugs 62 previously described and having similar threaded lower ends I99 threaded into sockets H0 in the upper portion of the slide or carriage I02. One of the shafts I06 is provided with a-graduated drum or collar III cooperating'with a pointer II2 secured to the upper portion I95 of the top member Iii-4 to indicatethemotion imparted to the screw I06. The screws I96 have squared up per ends I I3 for receiving a wrench, similar to the squared upper ends 63 of the screw shafts 6 1.

Also journaled in the lower portion of the outboard support I 4 and slide or carriage I I32 respectively are lower and upper sleeves or bushings H4 and H5 respectively for the arbors of the small roll shafts 50 and It, and mounted with their axes at the same separation (Figure 3); As previously stated, only one pair of arbors 81 is in use at a given time in a given rolling unit. Each of the bushings or sleeves 88:, 98, H4 and H5 is provided with a conical socket ii-terminating in a straight or cylindrical end portion II'I adapted to receive the conical ends 94 and cylindrieal portions 95 of the arbors 87. From each socket I I8 a bore I I8 passes outward for the passage of the clamping bolt 34. The outer end of each sleeve or bushing is of reduced diameter and threaded as at II9 (Figure 2 to receive a correspondingly threaded retaining collar I having a locking set screw I2I therein for securing it in position. Each of the collars 89 on the arbors 8! is provided with a radial slot I22 to receive the tongue or rib 'I'! so as to establish a driving connection.

Operation In the operation of the rolling mill I I, a pair of rolls is selected from each rolling unit It which is appropriate to the size and nature of the work- :piece to be rolled. If it is a workpiece with a grooves, a pair of large diameter rolls I5, I6

mounted on the more widely separated shafts it and M are employed. Let it be assumed that such-large rolls are employed, as shown in the drawings, the small rolls being therefore omitted, as indicated by the empty space and chain lines (Figure 1) between the members I 8 and H5. It will be understood, however, that rolls up to a certain maximum diameter can be handled by the small arbors and shafts and rolls from this maximum size to a second maximum size can be handled by the second pair of more widely separated shafts it and II. In one machine which the applicant built according to the invention, for example, the rolls could be handled through-out a range extending from a minimum diameter of three inches to a maximum diameter of ten inches, thus giving the machine a versatility no found in ordinary rolling mills.

The operator now turns on the power, causing the various'vertical shafts (Figure 4) to be rotated from their preferably common power source or from independent power sources, as desired. As the shafts 35 rotate, their rotation is imparted through the worms 36 and 3'! to the worm wheels or worm gears 38 and 39 and accordingly to the lower and upper large roll shafts 40 and ll. If, however, the lower and upper small r011 shafts and I4 are in use, these are driven in the same manner, the drive from the shafts 4D and ll being continued through the gears 46 and II! thereon, thence through the idlers 41 and II to the pinions Hand 13 mounted on the lower iii and upper small roll shafts 50 and 14 respectively (Figure 4).

With the large rolls I5 and I6, for example, in place in each rolling unit I0, and with the various rolling units so adjusted and the rolls so configured that each pair of opposed rolls performs a partial bending step upon the workpiece, a strip of metal is started through the first pair of rolls and receives its initial bend, receiving a further bend between the second pair of rolls, a still further bend between the third pair, and so on, until the workpiece W is completely formed, so far as the rolling millis concerned. The rolls I5, It may of course be adjusted as to separations by rotating the screws 64 and I06 in appropriate directions, thereby widening or narrowing the space between the opposed rolls I5 and I5. As this adjustment is made, thedrive is uninterrupted (Figure 4) either to the large roll shafts 49, M or to the small roll shafts 5D, Hi. The reason for this lies in the fact that as the upper shaft 45 is raised by the screw shafts 6d and I66, the worm wheel or worm gear 39 merely rolls upward along the elongated worm 31, thus continuing the driving connection despite the change in separation.

The mechanism shown in Figure 4 employing the worm drive, and including the elongated worm 37, not only gives less backlash than conventional gearing, but also is more rigid, smoother operating, gives a greater speed reduction between the drive shaft 35 and the roll shafts 40, AI or 58, M, and imparts more power to the rolls themselves. At the same time, as previously stated, the driving connection between the drive shaft 35 and. the roll shafts 40, M or 50, I4 is not interrupted even though the shaftsare moved toward or away from one another, since the worm gear 39 rolls along the elongated worm 31 while the adjustment is being made.

If it is desired to change rolls I5 and I6, such as to replace worn rolls or to adapt the machine to rolling workpieces of different configuration, the bolts 84 are unscrewed and withdrawn (Figure 2) whereupon the bolts 26 on the outboard rest I 4 are likewise withdrawn so as to'permit the outboard rest It to be moved outward until the conical ends of the arbors 81 clear the'mouths of their conical sockets and H6, whereupon the rolls I5 and I6 and their arbors 8? may be lifted out of the machine and replaced by other arbors as desired. When the new arbors are in.

position, the outboard rest I4 is moved back toward the housing I3 (Figure 2) so that the ingly and oppositely tapered arbor portions 86 and 94, tightly clamping this assembly together, with the tongues I? entering the slots I22 in the enlargements 89 (Figure 1). In the case where the smaller rolls are employed, the tongues I9, of course, enter corresponding grooves in the small roller arbors (Figure 1). The hold down bolts or screws 26 are then reinstated in the slots 25 of the outboard rest I4 (Figure 1) and tightened down, thereby completing the securing of the parts in assembly as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

What I claim is:

1 A roll assembly for a rolling mill, comprising an arbor having tapered approximately conical opposite end portions, a roll drivingly mounted on said arbor intermediate said conical end portions, a roll driving shaft having an approximately conical socket therein matingly receiving one of said conical end portions, a bearing member also having an approximately conical socket therein matingly receiving the other conical end portion, said conical arbor end portion tapering outwardly away from said roll toward said shaft and bearing member sockets respectively, and said sockets flaring inwardly toward said roll, said arbor and said bearing member each having a longitudinal bore therethrough, and a fastener mounted in said bores said fastener detachably securing said bearing member and said arbor to said roll driving shaft and urging said conical end portions and said conical sockets into engagement with one another.

2. A roll assembly for a rolling mill, comprising an arbor having tapered approximately conical opposite end portions, a roll drivingly mounted on said arbor intermediate said conical end portions, a roll driving shaft having an approximately conical socket therein matingly receiving one of said conical end portions, a bearing member also having an approximately conical socket therein matingly receiving the other conical end portion, said conical arbor end portion tapering outwardly away from said roll toward said shaft and bearing member sockets respectively, and

said sockets flaring inwardly toward said roll,

said roll driving shaft having a longitudinal threaded bore therein, said arbor and said bearing member having a longitudinal bore therethrough coaxial with said roll driving shaft bore, and a fastener mounted in said bores and having a threaded portion threadedly engaging said threaded bore said fastener detachably securing said bearing member and said arbor to said roll driving shaft and urging said conical end portions and said conical sockets into engagement with one another.

' JOSEPH D. KISS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 41,851 Merritt Mar. 8, 1864 228,842 Tottem June 15, 1880 242,058 Schurmann May 24, 1881 281,597 Wilmot July 17, 1883 1,938,932 Rafter Dec. 12, 1933 2,018,055 Dahlstrom Oct. 22, 1935 2,072,448 Hamill Mar. 2, 1937 

